Child carrier

ABSTRACT

The disclosure concerns a child carrier having a seat platform and a belt assembly adjustment strap each coupled to a belt assembly. The belt assembly adjustment strap is configured to tighten first and second opposing sides of the belt assembly about the waist of the wearer thereby forming a bowed front portion of the belt assembly and a securing the seat platform in a horizontal orientation for supporting the body of the child. The instant child carrier is configured to maintain the body of the carried child in an ergonomically correct position. In addition, the child carrier includes multiple adjustable components for configuring the carrier to a preference of the wearer.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation in part (CIP) of U.S. Ser. No.14/931,192, filed Nov. 3, 2015, and titled “CHILD CARRIER”;

which claims benefit of priority with U.S. Provisional Ser. No.62/074,571, filed Nov. 3, 2014, also titled “CHILD CARRIER”;

the contents of each of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND Field of the Invention

This invention relates to child carriers, also called “baby carriers”,“infant carriers” and “toddler carriers” that can be worn by an adultwith the child being positioned to face toward the wearer or away fromthe wearer. More particularly, the invention relates to a child carrierincluding the improvement of an adjustable seat platform, the seatplatform being adjustably configurable to ergonomically and safelysupport the body of the child being carried.

Description of the Related Art

Conventional child carriers, while they are functional, they are notoptimally designed for the safety, comfort and health of the child, norfor the ease-of-use and comfort of the caregiver. Furthermore, manycarriers are optimally suited for carrying a child in singleorientation, either on the front of and with the child facing thecaregiver or on the front of and with the child facing away from thecaregiver.

One of the difficulties of currently available child carriers is thatthey are unsafe and difficult to put on and to secure the child. Somecarriers require that a wearer let go of the child to attach or tightenbuckles that require both hands, which can result in harm to the child.

Examples of conventional child carriers include those described in Frost(U.S. Pat. No. 7,322,498), Gunter et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 8,636,181) andTelford et al. (US 2014/0263491); the contents of each of which arehereby incorporated by reference.

Furthermore, the medical community has identified certain problems withthe resulting position of the child being carried by many childcarriers, including those carriers as disclosed in Frost, Gunter et al.and Telford et al., above. This position consists of the child danglingfrom, or being mainly supported by, their crotch. It is said that thistype of support can lead to hip problems in the infant being carried,such as developmental dysplasia of the hip, as well as generaldiscomfort. The body or pouch of many carriers attaches directly to thetop of the hip belt, resulting in a narrow wedge of space where thechild sits, thus squeezing the child's pelvis and causing his or herlegs to hang down toward the ground. Additional information regardingchild-carrier induced hip dysplasia, and other related problems, can bereviewed at:http://hipdysplasia.org/developmental-dysplasia-of-the-hip/prevention/baby-carriers-seats-and-other-equipment/.

The instant invention seeks to provide an improved child carrier aimedat solving these and other problems in the art.

SUMMARY

A child carrier is disclosed, the child carrier includes: a hip belt, apouch assembly attached to the hip belt along an upper seam thereof, abody harness attached to the pouch assembly for strapping the childcarrier about an adult wearer, with the child carrier furthercharacterized by an adjustable seat platform assembly coupled to the hipbelt; the adjustable seat platform assembly including a seat platformattached to the hip belt along the upper seam, and an adjustable seatstrap configured to erect the seat platform in accordance with a desiredapplication or use of the child carrier.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the child carrier in accordance withan illustrated embodiment.

FIG. 2 shows a front view of the child carrier in accordance with theillustrated embodiment.

FIG. 3 shows a rear view of the child carrier in accordance with theillustrated embodiment.

FIG. 4 shows a top view of the belt assembly and seat platform of thechild carrier with the seat platform being configured in a restconfiguration and hanging downwardly from the upper seam.

FIG. 5 shows a top view of the belt assembly and seat platform of thechild carrier with the seat platform being configured in an erectconfiguration with the seat platform disposed in a horizontal planeextending inwardly from the upper seam toward a waist or torso of thewearer.

FIG. 6 further shows a top view of the seat platform in the erectconfiguration as viewed from above the wearer.

FIG. 7 shows a front view of the child carrier in a flattenedconfiguration with the belt assembly detached.

FIG. 8 shows a rear view of the child carrier in a flattenedconfiguration with the belt assembly detached.

FIG. 9 shows the child carrier with a child therein facing in adirection facing away from a wearer; with the child in this position,the platform seat is deployed in the erect configuration within thecarrier.

FIG. 10A shows the child carrier in a first configuration with the childfacing toward the wearer.

FIG. 10B shows the child carrier in a second configuration with thechild facing away from the wearer, the seat is deployed and the belt padis configured to form a bowed front portion for providing rigidstructure to the seat.

FIG. 11 shows the child carrier in accordance with another embodiment,wherein the seat comprises a first webbing strap and a second webbingstrap each configured to couple with webbing straps attached to the beltassembly via buckles connected therewith.

FIG. 12 shows the child carrier in accordance with another embodimentwherein the front portion of the belt assembly is bowed as a seat havinga predetermined shape is attached to the belt using a zipper or similarattachment member.

FIGS. 13-18, show a child carrier in accordance with another embodiment

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

In the following description, for purposes of explanation and notlimitation, details and descriptions are set forth in order to provide athorough understanding of the present invention. However, it will beapparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention may bepracticed in other embodiments that depart from these details anddescriptions. The following details and descriptions are intended toillustrate various embodiments of the invention; however, these detailsand descriptions are not intended to limit the scope of the invention asset forth in the claims.

Now, in a general embodiment, the invention includes a child carrierwith a padded hip belt (or “belt assembly”) that can be adjusted to fitthe caregiver while providing an optimal seat for the child's comfortand well-being, specifically as it relates to the child's hips, bottomand upper legs.

Additionally, in some embodiments, the carrier can include six points ofadjustment, including: a first shoulder strap buckle, a second shoulderstrap buckle, a first side buckle, a second side buckle, a belt buckleassembly, and the seat buckle, which affords the ability to optimallyconfigure the carrier for the child's comfort and for the desiredorientation or position of the child in either inward-facing oroutward-facing positions for a variety of different sized caregivers.These adjustment points enable the wearer to easily secure the child inthe carrying position without taking a hand off of the child. To achievethis, the top two straps are loosened, allowing the carrier to fall awayfrom the front of the caregiver the child is brought into the desiredposition, then the straps are tightened with one hand, while the otherhand remains on the child.

Additionally, the upper straps may be adjusted to position the carrieron the caregiver for proper fit and general comfort of the child andcaregiver (or “wearer”).

The belt assembly contains a seat platform that is radially attachedalong one side to the front, top, inner portion of the hip belt (the“upper seam”) on one side and is attached to a strap (or “belt assemblyadjustment strap”), which is attached at two points on the innercircumference of the circular belt assembly, the belt assemblyadjustment strap can be tightened, causing a portion of the belt toextend away from the caregiver to form a bowed front portion and a seatfor the child. The resulting configuration provides a support orplatform for the child's bottom and thighs, which is especiallyimportant in the face-out position (i.e. with the child facing away fromthe wearer). This seat platform is adjustable to afford more support forthe outward-facing child orientation, and less support for theinward-facing orientation.

In one embodiment, the seat platform can be manufactured to include twolayers of polyester fabric that are attached to the upper seam of thebelt assembly using strong thread. For purposes of defining theconfiguration of the seat platform, it is said that a first side of theseat platform is attached to the belt assembly along the upper seam. Achannel or “loop” is formed between the two layers; the loop extendsalong the length of the seat platform along a second side that isopposite the first side. A strip of webbing (or “adjustment strap”) runsthough this channel or “loop”. The adjustment strap is adjustable, andwhen tightened, results in the desired seat configuration by forming abowed or bent front portion of the belt assembly. It should be notedthat there should be enough rigidity in the belt assembly such that whenthe belt assembly adjustment strap is tightened, the amount of materialbeyond the adjustment strap sticks out to form a bowed or bent frontportion of the belt assembly thereby providing the desired seat, whilethe wearer can still tighten the hip belt to secure the carrier andtransfer load to the hips.

Now turning to the drawings, wherein an illustrated embodiment isdescribed, FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the child carrier inaccordance with the illustrated embodiment. The child carrier 100comprises three primary and distinct portions, including: a beltassembly 110; a pouch assembly 120; and a body harness 130. Each ofthese portions will be further described below. The pouch assembly isattached to the belt assembly at a front side of the child carrier, andthe harness is coupled to the pouch assembly using a number of strapsand buckles as shown.

FIG. 2 shows a front view of the child carrier 100 in accordance withthe illustrated embodiment. The belt assembly portion is shown includinga belt 111 and a belt pad 112. Attached to an upper circumference of thebelt assembly is the pouch assembly 120. The pouch assembly includes amain body portion with an optional pocket 125 and upper straps 121attached to a main body of the pouch assembly. The shoulder strapsinclude elongated shoulder strap pads 131 and a number of bucklesattached to the shoulder straps, such as a first shoulder strap buckle122 a and a second shoulder strap buckle 122 b.

FIG. 3 shows a rear view of the child carrier 100 in accordance with theillustrated embodiment. From a rear view, the child carrier is showncomprising a belt assembly including belt 111 coupled to belt pad 112. Abelt buckle assembly 114 is fixedly attached to the belt 111 at a firstterminal end 113 a, and further adjustably attached to the belt at asecond terminal end 113 b. The pouch assembly 120 is connected to a bodyharness including a body strap pad 123 and shoulder pads 131. A bodystrap 124 is attached to the body strap pad as shown, and extends towardthe front of the carrier where the body strap is engaged withcorresponding buckles.

FIG. 4 shows a top view of the belt assembly and seat platform 153 ofthe child carrier with the seat platform being configured in a restconfiguration and hanging downwardly from the upper seam. Note that withthe belt assembly (belt 111 and belt pad 112) attached at the beltbuckle assembly (belt buckle 115 and belt buckle receiver 116), the beltdefines an adjustable circumference C1 and can be said to include afront portion, rear portion, first side portion and second side portionas shown and labeled. Perhaps more clearly, the instant figure shows thebelt 111 having a first terminal end 113 a and the belt buckle receiver116 fixedly coupled to the belt at the first terminal end. Further, thebelt 111 includes a belt buckle 115 adjustable coupled to the belt at asecond terminal end 113 b. The pouch assembly 120 is attached to thebelt assembly at the front portion. The instant belt assembly is furthercharacterized by a seat platform 153 having a first side attached to thebelt assembly and a second side including a loop or channel, wherein abelt assembly adjustment strap 151 is fixedly attached to the beltassembly at the first side portion and extends through the loop of theseat platform toward the second side. The belt assembly adjustment strap151 is adjustably engaged with seat buckle 152, and the seat buckle isfixedly attached to the belt assembly at the second side portion.

FIG. 5 shows a top view of the belt assembly and seat platform 153 ofthe child carrier with the seat platform being configured in an erectconfiguration with the seat platform disposed in a horizontal planeextending inwardly from the upper seam toward a waist or torso of thewearer. Here, each of the features as described in FIG. 4 are shown,however the seat platform 153 is configured in an erect configurationwith the seat extending in a horizontal plane from the belt assemblytoward the waist or torso of a wearer. In order to erect the seat, thewearer tightens the belt assembly adjustment strap 151 about the seatbuckle 152. This adjustment results in a squeezing of the first andsecond side portions inwardly; thereby forming a bowed front portion ofthe belt assembly and a securing the seat platform in a horizontalorientation for supporting the body of the child. The seat platform 153is shown with the adjustment strap 151 extending through a loop 154 thatextends along the second side 159 of the seat platform that is oppositeof the first side 158 attached to the belt assembly.

FIG. 6 further shows a top view of the seat platform 153 in the erectconfiguration as viewed from above the wearer 300. The seat platform 153extends horizontally from the belt assembly near a junction with thepouch assembly 120 toward the waist or torso 301 of the wearer. This isaccomplished by adjusting the length of the adjustment strap 151 as itextends through loop 154 of the seat platform 153 by pulling a terminalend of the adjustment strap engaged with seat buckle 152.

FIG. 7 shows a front view of the child carrier 100 in a flattenedconfiguration with the belt buckle 115 and belt buckle receiver 116 ofthe belt assembly being detached. The carrier comprises a belt assembly110 including a belt 111 and a belt pad 112 attached to the belt. A beltbuckle receiver 116 is fixedly disposed about a first terminal end ofthe belt. A belt buckle 115 is adjustable coupled to the belt at asecond terminal end thereof. A pouch assembly 120 extends substantiallyvertically and is attached to the belt assembly; the pouch assembly isconfigured to secure a body of the child within the carrier. Coupled tothe pouch assembly is each of a first side buckle 126 and a second sidebuckle 127, as shown. Each of the side buckles is configured to receiveand adjustable retain a corresponding body strap 124 of the bodyharness. The pouch assembly further comprises a pair of upper straps121, each of the upper straps configured on a side of the pouch assemblyfor engaging with a corresponding shoulder strap buckle 122 a; 122 bfixed to a respective shoulder strap pad 131.

FIG. 8 shows a rear view of the child carrier 100 in a flattenedconfiguration with the belt assembly detached. Continued from the abovedescription of FIG. 7, the carrier 100 includes a belt assembly 110 asdescribed above. The belt assembly includes a belt 111 and a belt buckle115 adjustable coupled to the belt, as shown. The belt assembly isfurther characterized by a seat platform 153 attached to the beltassembly 110 along an upper periphery 117 of the belt assembly and nearthe front portion (at the pouch assembly). The seat platform 153includes loop 154 extending along a length of the seat platform at thesecond side opposite of the first side where the seat platform isattached to the belt assembly. A belt assembly adjustment strap 151 isfixed to the belt assembly at the first side portion 156 and extendsthrough the loop 154 of the seat platform 153 where it is furtherengaged with the seat buckle 152. The seat buckle is further coupled tothe belt assembly 110 at the second side portion 157. The pouch assemblyincludes an upper end 129, and shoulder straps 131 are coupled to thepouch assembly at the upper end, such that each of the shoulder strapsis configured for positioning over a left and right shoulder of thewearer, respectively. The shoulder straps 131 each include a shoulderstrap buckle 122 a; 122 b coupled therewith. The shoulder straps 131 andbody straps 124 collectively form a four point body harness which isconfigured to adjustable engage with corresponding buckles of the pouchassembly.

FIG. 9 shows the child carrier 100 with a child 200 therein facing in adirection facing away from a wearer; with the child in this position,the platform seat is deployed in the erect configuration within thecarrier.

FIG. 10A shows the child carrier 100 in a first configuration with thechild facing toward the wearer.

FIG. 10B shows the child carrier 100 in a second configuration with thechild facing away from the wearer, the seat is deployed and the belt padis configured to form a bowed front portion for providing rigidstructure to the seat.

FIG. 11 shows the child carrier in accordance with another embodiment,wherein the seat 153 comprises a first webbing strap 151 b and a secondwebbing strap 151 c each configured to couple with respective webbingstraps 151 a; 151 d attached to the belt assembly via buckles 152connected therewith. In this embodiment the seat does not comprise achannel or loop, but rather, includes two straps or buckles on opposingsides for tightening with the belt assembly.

FIG. 12 shows the child carrier in accordance with another embodimentwherein the front portion of the belt assembly is bowed to providestructural support to the seat 153 b. The seat is provided with apredetermined shape configured to form the bowed front portion of thebelt assembly. The seat 153 b is attached to the belt pad 112 or otherportion of the belt assembly using a zipper 165 or similar attachmentmember. Although a zipper 165 is shown, other similar attachment membersmay be similarly implemented, for example, snaps, buttons, Velcro,stitching, and the like.

Exemplary Prototype Embodiment

A prototype has been produced and tested. In a prototype embodimentdeveloped by the named inventors, the prototype embodiment is similar tothe illustrated embodiment herein, the construction of the belt assemblyincluded a polyester fabric exterior that is approximately 0.25 mmthick; then on the inside is disposed a strip of Ethylene-vinyl acetate(EVA) foam with a density of approximately 30 g/cc and thickness of 10mm was used; then a 10 mm layer of standard density polyurethane foamwas used on the inside of the hip belt, between the EVA foam and thepolyester outer layer for comfort.

The shoulder strap included a semi-structural padded shoulder harness,which generally fits in one location on the back of the wearer. Thereare 4 straps, one extending from each of the attachment points thatallow for attachment to the front body of the child carrier. Thesestraps can be adjusted to position the child ideally on the front of thecaregiver. All adjustments are made from the front of the carrier; thewearer does not need to ever reach behind their head, neck, or back.

The straps also offer a means to allow the transition of the child intothe carrier. The wearer starts by completely attaching the carrier ontotheir body and adjusting it how they like. Then the wearer will loosenthe upper straps that attach the body of the carrier to the shoulderstraps, allowing the carrier body to fall away from the body of thewearer. The wearer then brings the child to their chest, into the carryposition, and then cinches up the top straps to secure the child, whichcan be completed with one hand.

The platform seat provides a means of providing comfort and support byextending the belt assembly outward from the wearer in a manner tocreate a support ledge or seat for the child. This is accomplished byattaching a belt assembly adjustment strap and integrated fabric seatplatform that when tightened produces a ledge that supports the child'sbottom, thighs, and back. The body portion or “pouch assembly” of aconventional child carrier attaches directly to the hip belt at thewearer's body. The resulting space for the child doesn't allow much roomfor the child's bottom and results in squeezing the child's bottom,legs, and crotch into a “V” shaped space. In contrast, the child carrierdisclosed herein provides an ergonomic seat platform for providingcomfort and improved safety to a child carried by the child carrier.

The four-point adjustable harness shown herein enables the wearer toadjust the carrier to optimally fit the wearer and the child. The fourpoints of attachment to the shoulder harness enable the wearer to carrythe child high on their body by tightening the upper straps or wear thechild the low by loosening the upper straps. This height and fitadjustment can also be used optimally position the child forbreast-feeding while in the carrier. The lower two attachment points(side buckles) control how close the child is to the wearer. Thisadjustment should be modified to provide the most comfort to the childand will be different for inward-facing and outward-facing childconfigurations. Each of the adjustment points of the prototypeembodiment utilize nylon webbing and ladder buckles, but other loadbearing materials and adjustable connectors could be also used toproduce a similar result.

In the prototype embodiment that was produced, the length of theadjustment strap is approximately 36 cm in its extended position and istightened up to about 20 cm to produce the bottom seat configuration,but is adjustable to any length between about 15 cm and 36 cm. Thisresults in a seat that is about 10 cm by about 20 cm.

The belt assembly is an important element of the seat in that itsstructure is key to the shape and integrity of the child seat. Thepreferred embodiment relies on a hip belt height of approximately 9 cmto provide the desired degree of stiffness. If a shorter hip belt designis desired, the stiffness of the belt would need to increase toaccommodate the decrease in dimensional stiffness.

The material used in the belt assembly adjustment strap, which makes theseat, included a 1″ wide nylon webbing, although any number of loadbearing materials such as a cylindrical cord or wire, rope fabric strip,or thicker or thinner webbing could be used. While the prototypeembodiment utilized a ladder buckle, other types of materials wouldrequire the appropriate buckle type for type of material used.

The seat configuration extends out away from the wearer about 10 cm.This distance can be increased by increasing the length of theadjustment strap. The effective seat could extend outward to provide alarger seat, which would be desirable for a larger child.

In the prototype embodiment, the shoulder strap design included a crossdesign. Other design configurations that would produce a similar resultwould include configurations with curved strap elements. While theshoulder strap design included polyester fabric with a foam interior, asingle layer breathable fabric could also be used to provide comfort andbreathability.

Advantages

Advantages of the instant child carrier include, without limitation, achild carrier that: (a) provides support to the child's bottom andthighs, positioning the child's legs in an ergonomically correctposition which is referred as the “frog leg” or “squat spread” position;(b) enables the wearer of the carrier to first put on the carrier andthen secure the child in the carrier without letting go of the child;and (c) affords the adjustability to position the carrier to optimallysuite the needs of the wearer by adjusting each of the shoulder harnessattach points.

Alternative Embodiment

Now turning to FIGS. 13-18, a child carrier 500 in accordance withanother embodiment is disclosed. The child carrier may comprise: a beltassembly 540 configured to securely fasten around the waist of a wearer;a pouch assembly 530 coupled to the belt assembly and configured toreceive and secure a child therein; and a body harness (two shoulderportions 520) attached to the pouch assembly for securing the pouchassembly to the wearer.

The child carrier may optionally comprise a hood 510 coupled to thepouch assembly and configured to extend upwardly therefrom to cover thehead of a child inside the child carrier. The hood may comprise one ormore hood straps 511 extending from the hood and configured to couplewith a portion of the body panel. For example, and not limitation, thehood straps 511 may attach to one of the body panel or the shoulderstraps of the body harness via securing elements 512.

In one embodiment, the belt assembly 540 includes: a hip pad 544, and awaist belt 542 coupled to the hip pad collectively defining acircumference of the belt assembly. Additionally, the hip pad mayfurther comprise a parabolic seam 543 extending about a portion of thehip pad, the parabolic seam forming the front portion and seat platformas shown in FIG. 12. The waist belt may comprise a buckle 541 b andreceiver 541 a or other attachment mechanism for securing the belt.Additionally, the waist belt may comprise any belt adjustment means asconventionally known by one with skill in the art. The hip pad mayinclude an optional pocket for storing objects. In particular, the hipbelt may comprise a zippered pocket.

The body harness may further comprise: a quick-release buckle 522 a andreceiver 522 b configured to removably attach each of two shoulderstraps of the body harness. The quick-release buckle may comprise aslotted engagement feature, a magnet, or a combination thereof. Theharness is shown with a buckle having a protruding engagement feature,and a receiver with a slotted void, wherein the protruding engagementfeature fits within the void. In addition, a magnetic feature, such as amagnet and metal plate, is embedded within the quick-release buckle. Aneodymium magnet is preferably implemented due to its magnetic strength.The quick-release buckle can be implemented with buckle-straps 521 asshown. In addition, the shoulder straps may comprise conventionaladjustment members 523 and 524.

In some preferred embodiments, the pouch assembly comprises a meshfabric for breathability. The mesh fabric is generally sewn in as apanel extending about a majority of the body panel. This feature allowsfor a cooler environment for a child within the carrier. The childcarrier may be used with or without a conventional child insert as knownby one with skill in the art.

While the foregoing written description of the invention enables one ofordinary skill to make and use what is considered presently to be thebest mode of the invention, those of ordinary skill will understand andappreciate the existence of variations, combinations, and equivalents ofthe specific embodiment, method, and examples herein. The inventionshould therefore not be limited by the above described embodiment,method, and examples, but by all embodiments and methods within thescope and spirit of the invention.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST

adult wearer (300)

belt (111)

belt assembly (110)

belt assembly adjustment strap (151)

belt buckle (115)

belt buckle assembly (114)

belt buckle receiver (116)

belt pad (112)

body harness (130)

body strap (124)

body strap pad (123)

child (200)

child carrier (100)

circumference (C1)

elongated shoulder strap pad (131)

first shoulder strap buckle (122 a)

first side belt assembly (156)

first side buckle (126)

first side of seat platform (158)

first terminal end of the belt (113)

loop (154)

pocket (125)

pouch assembly (120)

seat buckle (152)

seat platform (153)

second shoulder strap buckle (122 b)

second side belt assembly (157)

second side buckle (127)

second side of seat platform (159)

second terminal end of the belt (113 b)

torso (301)

upper end of pouch assembly (129)

upper periphery (117)

upper strap (121)

zipper (165)

child carrier (500)

hood (510)

hood straps (511)

hood securing elements (512)

body harness (520)

buckle-straps (521)

quick-release buckle (522 a)

quick-release receiver (522 b)

adjustment members (523/524)

pouch assembly (530)

belt assembly (540)

belt receiver (541 a)

belt buckle (541 b)

waist belt (542)

parabolic seam (543)

hip pad (544)

What is claimed is:
 1. A child carrier, comprising: a belt assemblyconfigured to securely fasten around the waist of a wearer, the beltassembly including: a hip pad and a waist belt coupled to the hip padcollectively defining a circumference of the belt assembly, and aparabolic seam extending about a portion of the hip pad; a pouchassembly coupled to the belt assembly and configured to receive andsecure a child therein; and a body harness attached to the pouchassembly for securing the pouch assembly to the wearer, the body harnessfurther comprising: a quick-release buckle configured to removablyattach each of two shoulder straps of the body harness; wherein thepouch assembly comprises a mesh fabric for breathability.